Now that fall has officially arrived, many homeowners may be considering new plantings around their property. ComEd has some tips on helping customers pick the right tree for the right location at your home.
Annually, the company spends more than $43 million on tree clearance to reduce tree-related outages and promote safety around its distribution lines. ComEd receives more than 18,000 customer requests for tree maintenance, typically with trees considered incompatible around power lines such as silver maples, sycamores and white pines.
Whether customers are property owners, part of a community group or a developer, ComEd urges people to plant trees that will stay clear of overhead power lines. Tall growing trees should be planted at least 45 feet away from lines to avoid regular pruning.
"Take the time to do your research," suggested Doreen Masalta, ComEd's manager of vegetation management. "Ask the nursery how tall and wide the tree will be when it is fully grown and make sure there will be adequate space around overhead power lines."
ComEd encourages the planting of flowering trees that grow to heights less than 20 feet, such as dogwoods and crabapples, near the street. Trees that grow to more than 30 feet high should never be planted under power lines. At full height, these trees may grow into the lines and cause outages or pose a safety hazard. They will need to be trimmed regularly to safely coexist with the aerial power lines and may not look as originally desired.
Planting the right tree in the right place also can be energy efficient. Evergreens planted along a property's northern side serve as a "windbreaker," making it easier to heat the property during the harsher winter months.
Large trees that shed their leaves in the autumn, such as maple or oak, should be planted on the south and west side of a building to allow winter sunshine and provide summer shade. Also, thick shrubbery can be planted around air conditioners to shade the unit from the hot summer sun, as long as the shrubbery does not impede the compressor's operation.
"By reinforcing the importance of planting the right trees and shrubs under or near energized facilities, we can prevent future vegetation-related power outages and increase our ability to provide safe and reliable electric service," Masalta said.
ComEd maintains more than 2.5 million trees on a four-year cycle along more than 43,000 miles of power line right-of-ways. The company's vegetation management department consists of professional foresters who manage contractor performance, address dozens of community groups, and provide utility tree care information and consulting services for municipalities and customers.
Fallen tree limbs and trees growing into above ground power lines are one of the most common causes of power outages. ComEd's routine line clearance work plays a vital part in the company's efforts to prevent power outages and reduce the length of outages when they do occur.






